BREAD PUDDING

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a medium casserole dish, 8×8 baking pan, or deep dish pie plate. 

2. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, spices, salt, eggs, and egg yolk. Stir to combine, then whisk in the milk, half and half, and pumpkin puree. 

3. Place the bread cubes in the buttered dish and pour the pumpkin mixture evenly over the bread. Use the back of a spoon or clean fingers to press the bread into the liquid until every piece is soaked. 

4. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 mins, then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes. 

– While the bread pudding is baking, make the caramel sauce:

APPLE CIDER CARAMEL SAUCE

1. Pour the cider into a small saucepan over med-high heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 15 mins. 

2. Add the brown sugar and butter and stir to dissolve. Reduce the heat to med-low and cook the sauce at a simmer, stirring occasionally, until it becomes thick, syrupy, and a deep amber color. This usually takes 15-20 minutes for me. 

3. Remove from heat and stir in cream. 

4. Pour into a glass jar or other vessel to cool. 

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When the bread pudding has cooled slightly and the caramel sauce has thickened a bit, pour the sauce over the pudding. You can drizzle on a small amount, if you like, and reserve some of the sauce for individual servings, or (my favorite) drench the pudding in the sauce. Serve warm or at room temperature, with optional garnishes of toasted chopped pecans and/or whipped cream. 

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.